The application period for Agricultural Conservation Technical Training (“Boot Camp” Basic Level and Level II) is now open. Conservation district staff are encouraged to take advantage of these free training opportunities, including classroom learning and experience in the field.

Basic and Level II training will each be held twice. Applicants may apply for one and only one of the four training sessions. Do not apply for both levels this spring.

Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level
March 19, March 26, and April 22 (virtual) & April 8-11, 2024 (in-person)
Union County Government Center, Lewisburg, PA

Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Basic Level
March 19, March 26, and April 22 (virtual) & April 15-18, 2024 (in-person)
Union County Government Center, Lewisburg, PA

Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Level II 
April 19, April 26 (virtual) & April 29-May 3, 2024 (in-person)
Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County) and the USDA NRCS State Office, Harrisburg, PA

Agricultural Conservation Technical “Boot Camp” Training – Level II
April 19, April 26 (virtual) & May 13-17, 2024 (in-person)
Keystone Conference Center, Ft. Indiantown Gap, Annville, PA (Lebanon County) and the USDA NRCS State Office, Harrisburg, PA

The deadline to apply is January 26, 2024.

Email Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org with questions.

The following sponsors make these training opportunities possible: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission, and the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc.

For the first time, an additional session of the Intro to Conservation Planning course will be offered.

PACD is partnering with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the State Conservation Commission (SCC) to deliver a three-day Introduction to Conservation Planning course. This free training is scheduled for May 7-9, 2024, at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg (Hershey Area) in Grantville, PA.

This training is only for those interested in writing conservation plans and becoming an NRCS Certified Conservation Planner or apprentice.

If you are interested in taking this training, please begin the process of getting an AgLearn account NOW! Please contact Dan Ludwig at 717-237-2256 or dan.ludwig@usda.gov before attempting to register for access to AgLearn or obtaining a USDA eAuthentication account. There is a prerequisite, and it can take months to get an account, so please don’t delay. Click here for information on the prerequisite. 

The event is for entry-level employees of all organizations in Pennsylvania delivering conservation planning technical assistance, including, but not limited to, NRCS, conservation districts, SCC, farmland preservation entities, and non-profits. The training is free, and lunch will be provided.

The application period opens in early January. To receive notification when the application period opens, email Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org.

Thirty-three students (including fifteen conservation district staff) completed the Intro to Conservation Planning Course in Grantville, PA, from October 31-November 2, 2023. The training is an introductory course for employees interested in writing conservation plans and becoming a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Certified Conservation Planner. The event included classroom and field experience.

Participants attended the three-day training free of charge thanks to the generous sponsorship of NRCS and the PA State Conservation Commission. In addition, PACD provided administrative support for the course.

This fall, PACD worked with the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to coordinate communications workshops for conservation district and DEP staff. The two-part series kicked off with Verbal Judo October 12-13, 2023, at the Wyndham Garden State College in Boalsburg, PA. The series wrapped up with two back-to-back sessions of The Art and Science of Deception October 25 and 26, 2023, at Toftrees Golf Resort in State College, PA.

Verbal Judo was originally designed for law enforcement officers and teaches techniques to generate voluntary compliance by managing and redirecting emotionally charged verbal attacks. The Art and Science of Deception is designed to improve an individual’s ability to detect deception and get to the truth. These workshops are useful for anyone who regularly deals with the public, particularly technicians and field staff. PACD received a total of over 80 registrations for the workshops.

Over 85 attendees, including 61 watershed specialists, participated in the 23^rd Annual Conservation District Watershed Specialist Meeting at Toftrees Golf Resort and Conference Center in State College, PA, October 3-5, 2023.

October 3 was a special training day for newer watershed specialists. The training began with an orientation and went on to cover resources, an overview of the watershed specialist position, reporting requirements, and training opportunities. October 4 and 5 provided the full group with sessions on a variety of topics, including partnership opportunities with the DCNR regional watershed forestry specialists, study design for a strong stream monitoring program, PracticeKeeper, and trees and urban forests in stormwater management.

Financial and other support for this project is provided by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Conservation district and DEP staff are encouraged to register for The Art and Science of Deception, which is being offered twice, once on October 25 and once on October 26, at Toftrees Golf Resort in State College, PA. Registration is waived through a grant from DEP, and some meals are included. See below for course descriptions, locations, and dates. Click here for more information and to register. (Clean Water Academy login required.) Registration is open through Friday, October 13. Question? Contact Molly Burns at mburns@pacd.org.

The Art and Science of Deception: Detecting Deception and Getting to the Truth

Choose Wednesday, October 25, or Thursday, October 26
This course is designed to provide practical information to people who deal regularly with the public. They must rely on the truthfulness of the information they receive but do not formally interrogate others. The class will cover both the linguistic and non-verbal clues potentially indicating deception, focusing on identifying opportunities to ask more and better questions to reduce the possibility that the attempted deception is successful.

This training was funded through a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection and made possible through the cooperation of the PA Association of Conservation Districts and Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.

The 2023 Management Summit was held September 12-14, 2023, at the Wyndham Garden State College Conference Center, Boalsburg, PA.

The Tuesday pre-con was attended by 38 new managers and partner staff. The total Summit attendance was 64. Summit attendees participated in sessions on resilience, burnout, leadership derailers, performance reviews, change management, maximizing total compensation, and financial topics.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Conservation district and DEP staff are invited to register for Verbal Judo and The Art and Science of Deception this October. Registration is free and some meals are included. See below for course descriptions, locations, and dates. Click here for more information and to register. (Clean Water Academy login required.) Question? Contact Molly Burns at mburns@pacd.org.

Verbal Judo

Wyndham Garden State College | October 12-13, 2023

Verbal Judo is a tactical communications course originally designed for law enforcement officers that has applications for anyone who regularly deals with the public. Drawing on his personal experiences, our presenter has specifically adapted the course for regulatory inspectors and other government enforcement personnel. Attendees will learn techniques to redirect and handle emotionally charged verbal attacks in order to generate voluntary compliance. Attendees will leave this course with improved verbal communication skills and enhanced professionalism.

The Art and Science of Deception: Detecting Deception and Getting to the Truth

Toftrees Golf Resort | Choose Wednesday October 25 or Thursday, October 26

This course is designed to provide practical information to people who deal regularly with the public and must rely on the truthfulness of the information they receive, but do not formally interrogate others. The class will cover both the linguistic and non-verbal clues potentially indicating deception, with a focus on identifying opportunities to ask more and better questions in order to reduce the possibility that the attempted deception is successful.

This training was funded through a grant from the PA Department of Environmental Protection and made possible through the cooperation of the PA Association of Conservation Districts and Pennsylvania’s conservation districts.

 

Twenty-eight individuals attended the Agricultural Conservation Technical Boot Camp Training – Basic Level August 28-31, 2023, at the Union County Government Center in Union County. Attendees included staff from conservation districts, PACD, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and affiliates, Penn State Extension, the PA State Conservation Commission, and the PA Department of Environmental Protection.

This training marked the fifth week of boot camp training in 2023. The next sessions will be held in April/May 2024.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the State Conservation Commission sponsor the training. PACD works with these partners to coordinate the event.

PACD is partnering with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the State Conservation Commission (SCC) to deliver a three-day Introduction to Conservation Planning course. This training is scheduled for October 31-November 2, 2023, at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg (Hershey area) in Grantville, PA.

Intro to Conservation Planning is an introductory course for employees interested in writing conservation plans and becoming an NRCS Certified Conservation Planner. Eligible organizations include NRCS, State Conservation Commission, conservation districts, farmland preservation entities, and non-profits. The training is free, and lunch will be provided.

There is a pre-requisite for the course through AgLearn.

Click here for the application to attend the course. 

Contact Shannon Wehinger at swehinger@pacd.org with questions.